Self‐Corrections as Indexes of Social Relationships: Observations From Mary Hamilton's Correspondence With Frances Burney (1783–1789)

Key Points

Social relationships are indicated by the frequency of self-corrections in correspondence.
The analysis shows that closer connections lead to more acceptable self-corrections in letters.
Observations of Mary Hamilton's letters to Frances Burney reveal insights into their social network.
Understanding self-corrections enhances the study of past correspondence and social structures.

Abstract

Abstract This article explores how social relationships are developed and conveyed through correspondence, with a particular focus on self‐corrections in the surviving letters from Mary Hamilton (1756–1816) to Frances Burney (1752–1840). The findings show that the more closely connected the writer feels with the recipient, the more self‐corrections are deemed socially acceptable. Engaging in interdisciplinary dialogue with Coulombeau's (this issue) assessment of Hamilton and Burney's complex and evolving relationship, this essay underlines the importance of self‐corrections for the study of handwritten documents as well as social relationships and networks in the past.

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Self‐Corrections as Indexes of Social Relationships: Observations From Mary Hamilton's Correspondence With Frances Burney (1783–1789)

Key Points

Abstract

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